March 28, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 1942

Burma: Gen Alexander, at request of Gen Stilwell, agrees to attack on Irrawaddy front. Rcn elements of Burma I Corps clash with enemy at Paungde, SE of Prome.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 43rd Bombardment Group, Headquarters (HQ), 63rd Bombardment Squadron and 65th Bombardment Squadron arrives Sydney from the US with B-17s. Their first combat missions are August 14, 1942 and November 12, 1942 respectively.

28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Melbourne to Cloncurry with B-17s with a detachment operating from Perth with the ground echelon on Bataan and Mindanao.

80th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) transfers from Brisbane to Lowood with P-39s.

RAAF: Shot down is P-40E Kittyhawk A29-5 pilot Sgt Ronald Summerson Bailey. Damaged is Spitfire A58-88 ground looped while landing at Williamtown Airfield.

RMS Queen Mary enters Sydney Harbor but was too tall to pass under the Sydney Harbor bridge and instead anchors nearby and personnel were unloaded onto a ferry and transferred ashore.

U.S. Army: Japanese, moving into position for all-out offensive against Bataan, feint against I Corps and push in OPL of Sector D on II Corps front. Increasingly heavy air and arty bombardment of Bataan is lowering efficiency of defense force as well as destroying badly needed matériel. Efforts to run the blockade and supply the garrison with necessary items have virtually failed, and supply situation is growing steadily worse.

USMC: The 7th Defense Battalion was sent to Upolu, Western Samoa, as an advance force for the new garrison there; a small detachment was also established on Savii.